Partial knee resurfacing (PKR) is a surgical procedure for relieving arthritis in one compartment of the knee. With PKR, only the damaged surface of the knee joint is replaced, helping to minimize trauma to healthy bone and tissue.

A rotator cuff tear is a common cause of pain and disability among adults. A torn rotator cuff will weaken your shoulder. This means that many daily activities, like combing your hair or getting dressed, may become painful and difficult to do.

Total Hip Replacement in Palm Desert, CA

If you are experiencing problems performing regular daily activities such as walking, running, or getting in and out of chairs due to arthritis or a serious injury, you may want to consider total hip replacement after exploring other non-surgical treatment options. Total hip replacement is the process of substituting damaged bone and cartilage with prosthetic components to alleviate pain caused by arthritis or injury.

Although your first instinct may be to avoid any surgical procedures, you should know that hip replacement surgery dates back to the 1960s and is one of the more successful operations. The procedure is a safe, effective way to alleviate your pain, increase motion, and get you back to enjoying a movie with your family without worrying about pain while you sit.

What Parts Make up the Hip?

You may be surprised to find out that the hip is a ball-and-socket joint just like your shoulder. The respective areas include the acetabulum (socket), which is part of the large pelvis bone, and the femoral head (ball), which is the upper end of the thighbone. Ligaments hold these bones together for stability while articular cartilage cushions the bones and enables flexibility.

What Causes Hip Pain?

The shoulder, knee, and hip all share one common denominator that invokes intense pain and difficulty performing daily functions due to age or injury – arthritis. Specifically, there are three types of arthritis that are most commonly found that invoke these symptoms:

Osteoarthritis

As we get older, our bodies become more susceptible to problems caused by "wear and tear," especially on the joints that hold ground us for most of the day (shoulder, knees, and hips). During this process, the cartilage that cushions the bones wear away leaving the bones to rub against each other, thus causing pain and stiffness.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

RA is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis. When the synovial membrane becomes inflamed, with time it can damage or wear away the cartilage that covers the end of the bones, as well as the fibrous cartilage or meniscus that we tear. Eventually, this causes pain, swelling, and stiffness, resulting in difficulty with walking.

Post-traumatic arthritis

Any traumatic injury to a joint, if ignored, may cause damage to the articular cartilage that covers the ends of the bones, which may precipitate arthritis. Injury to the stabilizing ligaments of joints, with time, may also cause arthritic wear that slowly evolves over years.

How Do You Know Hip Replacement is the Right Course of Action?

After consulting with your primary doctor about your symptoms, Dr. McLennan will further examine your condition by assessing your hip's mobility and strength and will recommend x-rays and MRI's to further evaluate your condition. Once Dr. McLennan has reviewed the results of your evaluation with you, he will recommend the best course of action based on your condition (physical therapy, medications, or surgery).

If surgery is the best course of action, it is important that you understand the expectations of the procedure going forward. Arthroplasty or replacement of a joint allows for immediate stability and the ability to walk. Pain control, of course, plays a major role in your recovery. If surgery is early in the day, physical therapists will attempt to begin weight bearing. This is increasingly more likely as different methods of pain control are used by anesthesiologists to block pain pathways. Using medications that may make you sleepy or have poor balance may prevent you from being safe and walking.

An aggressive post-operative course of rehabilitation to restore your strength and motion will assist in restoring your confidence and well-being in the first 3 months. The knee will continue to mature over the next 6 months.

In the past, your post-surgical activities were limited. Recent research supports the concept that one will be able to return to work or physical and athletic activities without restrictions, with the exception of running and some contact and repetitive impact sports.

What is Involved in the Hip Replacement Procedure?

After consulting your symptoms and evaluating your condition and options with Dr. McLennan, the procedure phase will come into play. There are several options available, such as traditional arthroplasty, resurfacing, fixed and mobile bearings, traditional surgery, minimally invasive procedures, and robotics and computer-generated approaches. Dr. McLennan will advise you as to which may be best for your problem.

A Higher Standard of Orthopaedic Care: Dr. Jon G. McLennan

Jon G. McLennan, MD brings to the table his expertise of over 30 years in the field of Orthopaedic Surgery. He possesses an extraordinary eye for detail and passion in his work, authoring over twenty-five peer-reviewed publications, providing insightful, educational presentations on the subjects of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, and developed numerous surgical devices and unique techniques that have revolutionized the field. If you would like to learn more about how Dr. McLennan can change your life, schedule a time to speak with him at his La Quinta, CA, Palm Springs, CA, or Palm Desert, CA location or call (760) 771-4900.